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History

BEUC was created on 6 March 1962 by consumer organisations of Belgium, Luxembourg, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Germany. After working together for a number of years, these organisations decided to create a European association, based in Brussels.

BEUC was a pioneer, one of the first lobbying organisations to set up base in the European capital in a bid to influence the decision-making process. Many others followed, and the number of lobbyists rose exponentially to the present-day figure of over 15,000.

The intense pressure brought to bear on decision-makers from this multitude of lobbyists working on behalf of commercial interests, regional representations, trade unions and many others, highlights the need for BEUC to have a strong presence on the Brussels scene.

To do this, we receive funding from our members, a grant from the European Union and participate in specific projects. This enables BEUC to continue the task we have been pursuing for more than 50 years, of promoting consumers rights.